


Tumblr Drabbles: Gundam Wing Edition

by Crown_of_Winterthorne



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: 15 days of Summer, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Canon-Typical Violence, Depression, Drabbles, F/F, F/M, Hitchhiking, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Light BDSM, M/M, Minor Character Death, Multiple Pairings, Not Frozen Teardrop Compliant, Rare Pairings, Small Towns, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, Train-hopping, more like implied, post-ZERO Quatre
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-17
Updated: 2016-06-29
Packaged: 2018-05-21 05:36:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6040212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crown_of_Winterthorne/pseuds/Crown_of_Winterthorne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Each chapter features a collection of drabbles originally posted to my Tumblr. Pairings, notes/warnings and summaries will be posted at the beginning of each chapter. Ratings will range from general to mature, so I'm setting the overall rating at M. Commonly recurring pairs are tagged. </p><p>1. Rare and Alternate Pairings (Random Song Prompt)<br/>2. Roses AU (Random Song Prompt)<br/>3. 15 Days of Summer<br/>4. 1x4/1+4 (Random Song Prompt)<br/>5. Maskim AU (15 Days of High School Romance prompts)<br/>6. Album Drabble Challenge: Roger Miller's Best of His Greatest Songs</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Rare and Alternate Pairings

**Author's Note:**

> Based around the "put your playlist on shuffle and write drabbles for the length of the first ten songs" meme. This is the alternate and rare pairs edition, with each pairing noted at the beginning of each drabble.
> 
> I don't necessarily ship these pairs. They're what came to mind with each song.
> 
> This set of drabbles includes one instance of **implied dubcon/hate-sex. (Song #9)**

**1\. David Bowie - “Rebel Rebel” (4:31) 2xR**

They were a sight: ripped stockings, artfully applied makeup, pale skin covered with ink. They danced close, playful, smiling and laughing as the band played. Her wheat blonde hair bounced and fluttered and he couldn’t resist running a hand through it. She put a hand on his hip, loving the leather shorts and garters. How could she have ever been so scandalized at the sight?

He was beautiful.

**2\. L'Arc en Ciel - “Coming Closer” (5:14) 2+5**

Duo put his hands on WuFei’s shoulders, resting his forehead on the back of the other boy’s neck.

Fei sighed. Once he would have complained about Duo’s casual touches and embraces. Now he relaxed into them, letting Duo share in his pains and sorrows.

**3\. Anna Tsuchiya - “Taste My Skin” (3:11) 1x6**

Zechs rolled his blue eyes up at the younger pilot, his tongue tracing over salty-sweet skin.

How could a mere boy reduce him to an eager dog? Him! A prince, an officer, the Lightning Count!

And yet he would do anything. _Anything_ Heero asked of him.

**4\. X-Japan - “White Wind from Mr. Martin ~Pata’s Nap~” (1:03) 2+3**

They sat cross-legged on the porch, Trowa with an old, found guitar and Duo with his head on Trowa’s shoulder.

**5\. Utada - “Sanctuary (Opening)” (4:25) 1+4**

Heero stood on the verandah, looking out over the sea that glittered upon Sanc’s beaches. He felt trapped here, a caged hawk while others plotted.

“Heero?” A soft voice that wasn’t hers. He couldn’t have borne her at the moment. He was too on edge. Too uncertain of her motives and his own heart.

Quatre though… he needed Heero and the reasons were clear. Heero understood and embraced Quatre in protective arms. His heart was sure of this one.

**6\. My Chemical Romance - “Famous Last Words” (4:59) 1+Sylvia Noventa**

Those eyes. Those dark, accusing eyes. She had been so strong, refusing to let him take the easy way out. She saw him for what he was, a lost little boy forced to fight the battles of old men.

He held her face and words in his heart, wanting desperately to make her proud. Wanting to face her again one day, as the man she knew he could be.

**7\. Anna Tsuchiya - “Knock Down” (4:37) 9+R**

The poor girl was exhausted. Noin’s heart clenched to see Relena at her desk, sobbing brokenly into her folded arms.

“I can’t do this. How can anyone expect me to take on the entire world?”

Noin placed a hand on her shoulder, stroked her hair affectionately. “Of course you can, ‘Lena. And you’re not alone. You have allies. And me.”

**8\. Miyavi - “Ippiki Ookami Ron” (Room No.382 vers.) (3:28) 2+5**

“How did you ever talk me into this?!”

“Because you looooove me,” Duo laughed, pressing their hips together, guiding WuFei’s movements. The boy could dance if he’d ever let himself relax, so Duo had to take some initiative.

The lights flashed over their silky hair and leather pants, highlighting their supple bodies as they danced to the heart-pounding music.

**9\. My Chemical Romance - “The Sharpest Lives” (3:21) 6xD**

Gods, she pissed him off. She always had, but now he had had enough.

It had been her own fault, laughing after the backhand. She hadn’t realized just how close to the edge he was, had even thought it a game when he shoved her against the wall. He wanted to wipe that smirk from her face.

He fisted that long blonde hair, longer than his own, and she still only laughed.

“Oh, Milliardo, you really think this proves something?”

He snarled and bit at her neck. “It will.”

**10\. AFI - “Darling, I Want to Destroy You” (3:43) 4x1**

Quatre looked solemn and serious, his face shadowed by the night as he traced his fingers over Heero’s jaw.

Heero let himself be pushed down onto the bed, watching intently as Quatre sat straddling his thighs. He could no longer remember who had started this, but Quatre was anguished as he sought solace and the love offered. He couldn’t refuse that.


	2. Roses AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Random Song Prompt Drabbles.
> 
> This is from a little AU that I started playing with several years ago (and never posted anywhere ‘cause I couldn’t get it to do what I wanted. I love this ‘verse, but I ended up abandoning the fic). In this AU, after the wars and after the Gundams are destroyed once and for all, Duo ends up leaving Preventers, Heero leaves Duo and Duo becomes a tattoo artist. The title "Roses" largely comes from the fact that Relena is all kinds of tattooed with roses underneath her conservative Vice Minister suits.
> 
> Warnings for **implied BDSM** and **post-breakup depression.** These are NOT in chronological order, but if it's confusing to read, please tell me so I can swap them around!
> 
> Pairings include: 1x2, 2xR, and 6x2

**1\. X-Japan - “Celebration” (4:49)**

Fuck being a princess.  And fuck responsibility.  Relena Peacecraft was 21 and she damn well deserved to have some fun!.

Even Cinderella got to go to a ball, but this time, it was going to be on her terms.

“Ready, Princess?” Duo grinned as she snuck down the back stairs, avoiding the party and her fan club.

“You bet!” she laughed as they ran from the estate to where Duo had stashed his motorcycle.  "You’re such a bad influence on me!“

“You love it,” he retorted, kissing her cheek.  "Happy Birthday, Lena.“

**2\.  Anna Tsuchiya - “NO WAY” (4:19)**

He had been so stupid to let Duo go.  And for what?  Fear?

Fear of loss?  Fear of being happy?

And now look at him, alone and miserable, kicking himself everyday for leaving the best thing he’d ever had.

It would serve him right if Duo slammed the door in his face, but he had to try.

Had to at least apologize…

**3\.  Malice Mizer - “Illuminati” (5:10)**

Zechs was so fucking amazing.  Dressed in supple black leather he looked like a god of lust and pain.  Everything that Duo wanted from him.

Everything that he wanted to be.

Zechs made it look so effortless as he danced under the strobes with two beautiful boys clinging to him.  He brushed a cheek…  slapped a thigh…  and gods, he looked so happy up there with his blonde hair flying.

Licking his lips, Duo went up to join him, smiling when Zechs took his hand and pulled him close, chest to chest, hip to hip, cock to cock…*

“Teach me,” Duo moaned, lolling his head back as Zechs licked his throat.  
“As you’d like, pet.”

_*A.N.  Duo is totally wearing very tall boots and Zechs is not standing up straight here.  I usually headcanon him at under 5'6”, and Zechs is at least 6'2”  
_

**4\.  Dir en grey - “Macabre” (10:49)**

Broken…  gods, it hurt so bad.

How could he just leave?  They’d been so happy, hadn’t they?

He walked along the empty streets with his hands stuffed deep into his pockets, his thoughts always coming back to “why?”

He’d thought he’d known loneliness, but this was worse.  This ate at his stomach and stole the warmth from his very soul.  He missed Sister Helen most at times like these.

His breath hitched and he swallowed a sob.  He would not cry, damn it!  He had that much dignity left to him!  Better to be angry or numb.  Anything but to let that selfish bastard reduce him to tears!

He shivered and blue his breath out in a white cloud.  God, it wasn’t right to be this lonely.

**5\.  AFI - “Ever and a Day” (3:06)**

“Come on, Duo,” Quatre pounded on the door.  "You can’t stay in there forever!“

Duo groaned and curled up into a tighter ball, pulling the covers up over his head, trying to block out the sunshine peeking through the windows and that relentless cheerfulness outside of his door.  It wasn’t worth getting up.

Not if he had to hear another pep-talk from his so-called best friend who wouldn’t let him wallow in his misery.

**6\.  hide - “Eyes Love You” (5:58)**

So maybe Relena had been right.  God knew he’d lusted after Zechs since he was 15, enemy or not.  The man was gorgeous.

And charming.  And sexy.  And smart.  And surprisingly funny for an aristocrat.

It was definitely the best date he’d had since…  well, probably ever.  Heero was never the “go out on a date” type of boyfriend.  He was the “let’s stay in and watch movies” type of boyfriend.

But Zechs…  he was wonderful.

Okay, so he was smitten.  He had no intention of starting another relationship, and he was definitely not looking for another boyfriend.

Duo Maxwell had had it with boyfriends, no matter the type.

Friends with benefits, however?  Now that he could do.

**7\.  My Chemical Romance - “The End” (1:52)**

He’d deserved it.  He’d left with no explanation and Duo deserved to be angry.

He hadn’t expected to see Duo with Relena, however.

Hadn’t expected him to have moved on.  Not when he hadn’t.

 **8\.  Dir en grey - “The Final” (4:12** )

He wasn’t dead.  Not by a long shot.  Once the grief had eased, his stubborn survival instinct had kicked in.

Well, perhaps Quatre had been the one to kick start it- literally- but he was back on his feet again.  He had a job he loved, a house he loved, and was as far away from those painful memories as he could get.

There was nothing wrong with him.  Heero was the one who’d left.  Heero was the one who couldn’t handle things.

Duo would survive.  Just like always.

**9\.  The Cure - “Never Enough” (4:28)**

God, he loved the way Zechs could make him scream.

Zechs knew how to coax every tiny cry and whimper from him, knew exactly how to make him scream and squirm.

How he loved the way that he would shiver and sweat when Zechs bound him into such exquisitely unnatural positions and how his body would ache when he was finally released from his submission.

He couldn’t get enough of his master’s knowing, strong touch.  And gods, Zechs knew it…

**10\.  Tiger Army - “Hotprowl” (2:31)**

Freedom.  

That’s what it was like with Duo.  Hair flying straight back as they races along the streets on his motorcycle, pressing close enough to smell the leather of his jacket.

He allowed her to be someone else.  Not the Vice Minister.  Not the Queen of the World.

Just Lena.


	3. 15 Days of Summer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ~~15~~ 14 Days of Summer  
> [Prompts from @writing-prompts-list on tumblr.](http://writing-prompts-list.tumblr.com/post/123010593314/15-days-of-writing-pt-7-summer)
> 
>  **Rating:** Teen+  
>  **Pairings:** 6+2, 1+R, 3+4, 5+Meilan (specific ships are noted at the beginning of each drabble)  
>  **Summary:** In which a group of friends take a Summer vacation for one final adventure before the realities of adulthood set in.
> 
> As is my tendency, some are drabbles, some are more ficlet-sized. I skipped one prompt because it didn't fit, so it's only 14 days instead of 15. I may--MAY--write a larger fic to end it off with a nice big end-of-summer celebration.

**1\. Took a wrong turn during a roadtrip  
** Pairings: 6+2, 1+R  
**Summary:** We don't need no stinking directions.

"This is not the way to the house."

"You've never even been there!"

"Neither have you!"

"Oh, my god. Boys, please. Just pull over and ask for directions."

"We do not need directions."

"I kinda think we do. Even Google doesn't know where we are anymore."

"Relena, I swear to God—"

"Duo, you don't even believe in God."

"You stay out of this, Zechsie."

"I'm going to pull over and dump all three of you out of this car if you don't shut the fuck up."

"Good. We can get directions."

* * *

**2\. Felt something touch foot while wading in ocean  
** Pairings: 6+2, 1+R, 3+4, 5+Meilan  
**Summary:** Why Wufei doesn't like swimming in the ocean.

"Oh, come on in," Duo wheedled, pulling on Wufei's arm for good measure. Wufei, for his part, remained with his heels firmly dug into the sand, eyebrows arched in a challenge. Their friends were all in various states of undress, sunscreen being tossed between hands and colorful towels being laid out on the hot sand. There was a cooler full of food and a cooler full of drinks. Wufei did not intend on leaving the sanctity of this space whatsoever.

"I will not. There are things in the ocean that I have no need to mix with."

"That's his way of saying he's scared," Meilan explained, slipping off her sandals and tying her hair up into two long ponytails.

"I am not scared!" he protested. "I'm... cautious."

"There's nothing to worry about," Meilan reassured him. She shrugged off her dark blue cover-up to reveal a white crochet bikini, smiling when Wufei ran an appreciative look up and down her figure. "Come in with me?"

"No."

"Ugh, Fei!" Duo groaned. "Come on!"

"Let him alone, Duo," Quatre shooed him away. "Don't you have a boyfriend of your own to bother?"

"Don't you?"

The tall, blonde boyfriend in question caught Duo around the waist, bodily lifting and carrying him towards the waves. "I should let Fei have you."

"Zechs! Put me down!" Duo protested, putting up the expected, dramatic struggle. "And you would never!"

"What? Let Wufei kick your ass? Or do this?"

And with that, Zechs unceremoniously tossed Duo into the shallows.

"He's going to get even, you know," Heero warned the blonde, even as he stifled a laugh. "It won't be pretty."

Zechs shrugged, making the movement look both elegant and resigned to his fate as Duo shrieked and cursed. His braid wrapped around one arm like a wet snake and his bangs were plastered to his cheeks. He was particularly vocal about the fact that he was still wearing his shoes and that they were going to squish for the rest of the day.

It was really very entertaining. Especially when a piece of seaweed wrapped around his leg and he shot out of the water like Jaws was after him. The dying laughter of his friends came back with a renewed vigor.

"Oh, fuck all you all," he sulked, disentangling the strip of vegetation from his calf. He flopped down on the sand beside a smirking Wufei. "I take it back. You've got the right idea."

Wufei offered him a beer from the cooler. "My condolences. Will you survive?"

"Fuck you too," he said, though it was without venom and a little smile was playing around his mouth. "And you, Zechsie... you just wait."

Zechs gave a bow. "I look forward to it."

* * *

**3\. Missed spots when putting on sunscreen  
** Pairings: 6+2  
**Summary:** Sunscreen is serious business kids. Don't be Zechs. Don't be Duo either.

"It's not funny!"

Across Zech's stomach was a very carefully drawn smiley face in a lighter tan than the rest of his skin. _Someone_ —he wasn't going to name names, but oh, he had his suspicions—had drawn on him in SPF100 while he slept on the beach. While the rest of him had tanned a lovely golden color, the extra sunscreen had done its job and left the mark behind.

"No, I know. But you have to admit it's a little funny." Duo didn't bother trying to hide his smile. In fact, he let it spread across his face and light up his eyes with mischief. "In fact, I'd say you deserved it after trying to feed me to the sharks."

Zechs started to protest, thought better of it, and closed his mouth. When he tried again, it was to say, "Any other revenge I should be aware of?"

"Wait until you see what I drew on your back."

* * *

**4\. Lost something (shoe, sunglasses, phone) in sand at beach  
** Pairings: 6+2, 1+R  
**Summary:** Things are lost and found. Brother and sister have a chat.

"Shit!"

Relena lifted her head from her book, brows knit together as she heard the curse again. It was just outside the bedroom window and despite its volume, the speaker was clearly trying to be quiet. She set the book down and opened the window, leaning out and looking towards the beach. Her frown deepened.

She slipped on shoes and a shawl, glancing back when Heero called after her from the living room where the rest of their friends gathered.

"I'll be back in a minute. I need to get something from the car."

"You can get to it?" Both of the cars were packed up like a living Tetris game, ready for the next stage in their summer roadtrip.

"Yeah, don't worry," she smiled. It was her lying smile; both she and Heero knew it, but he shrugged and nodded.

Using her phone as a flashlight, Relena picked her way down the path to the beach behind the house. "What are you doing?"

Her brother looked up at her as if trapped. His blue eyes looked silver and his hair, pulled up in a messy topknot, was coming loose around his face. He gave her a disarming smile, but his lying face wasn't much better than hers.

"What are you doing?" she asked again. She wasn't sure if she needed to be worried, amused or irritated yet. Finding her elegant big brother digging in the sand at 11:30 at night wasn't a normal occurrence.

"I, uh..." he winced. "I may have lost something."

"I figured that much. What?"

"Dad's rings."

"Dad's rings—wait, Dad's _wedding rings?!_ What were you doing with those? And out here?!"

Zechs gave her a look. It was that look he often gave her when he knew she could figure out the answer if she'd stop and listen to herself for a second. So she did. Her eyes went wider.

"Oh, my God!"

"So are you going to help me look or not? I really don't want Duo to come out here looking for me."

"No, of course not!" she shook her head. "I mean, yes, I'll help. No, we don't want Duo spoiling the surprise."

She knelt down beside him in the sand; it was where they'd staked out their towels and food for the last three days. It would have been easier work with a metal detector. All they had was a pair of iPhone flashlights and a pitifully dark moon.

"You're sure you lost them here?" Relena asked, sifting through sand and shells with careful fingers. "Please tell me you had them in a box."

"On a chain. I was going to ask him tonight at dinner, but then that whole thing with the neighbor's dog happened..."

"I'm not sure who's going to kill you first if we don't find them. Mom, Duo or me. Does he... have you guys talked about it? Does he know you want to ask?"

Zechs shrugged. "It wouldn't be a surprise. I wouldn't be asking if I thought he'd refuse. We've talked about it that much. It's the next logical step; we've been living together for how long?"

Relena smiled at him and it was a genuine one. "It's just... I know how skittish he is every time you guys get more serious. And... Heero hasn't asked me yet. We've been together longer."

"Did you want me to threaten him into asking?" He was serious.

"No! Of course not!" she laughed. "No. I suppose it just stings a little."

"He'll ask. He knows you want the wedding and the white picket fence too badly not to ask." Zechs gave his sister a little nudge and they both smiled at each other. For as long as he'd known her, Relena had only wanted two things: a family of her own and a Senator's seat. He fully expected that she'd get them. 

They looked in silence, side by side with their own thoughts. Similar thoughts, they both knew. This trip, it was as much a celebration as it was a last hurrah before they all settled down into adulthood. Graduate school. Careers. Family.

Relena supposed that she'd expected Zechs to be ready to settle down. He had four years on them and had been running their father's empire for the last two. She hadn't expected that Duo, easily the most free-spirited of them all, to be ready for that as well. Although...

"If Duo says yes, then what?" Her voice was gentle. She was honestly curious. As close as they were, she'd never really known what her brother wanted. Or Duo. 

"Whatever we want." He started to say more, perhaps to explain, perhaps to change the subject. Relena wasn't sure because that was when he grabbed a silver bail chain with a pair of rings dangling from it. "Fuck. Thank God!"

One was the gold ring their father had worn for most of his life. His own father's wedding ring, a slim gold band passed down as a set when he married their mother. The other was a thicker titanium band, gotten as a replacement when the heirloom ring was thought lost. When he'd found the gold band, their father had simply started wearing them both. After his death, their mother had given both of them to Zechs.

Relena traced her fingertip over the inscription on the titanium band: "True love is never lost." The heirloom's inscription had faded too much to read, worn off over the decades since their grandfather first wore it. They both knew it by heart, knew the story. "True love always returns," it said. The slim band had begun its life as their grandmother's wedding band. Their grandfather had worn it as a reminder—as good luck—throughout WWII. After the war, he'd bought her a diamond and she'd insisted he keep the band with its new inscription.

"You better start thinking about an inscription for a third ring. Because you know Duo's going to lose at least one."

"You don't think it's a bad omen, do you? Almost losing them again before I even propose?"

"No," she smiled, hugging her brother. "Because you found them."

* * *

**5\. Trying to gain access to public pool after hours  
** Pairings: 6+2, 1+R, 3+4, 5+Meilan  
**Summary:** Because rules are really just guidelines. Please don't kick us out of the hotel.

"You're going to get us kicked out of the hotel!" It was hissed between teeth, low and fierce, a last ditch effort to talk some sense into the little group.

"We won't get caught if a couple of somebodies would stop giggling. And you'd stop trying to stop us. I notice you haven't just abandoned us and fucked off back to the rooms."

"Someone needs to keep an eye on you four."

"I think it's because you don't want to admit that you're having fun."

The giggling, which had stopped for a moment, resumed full-force. Wufei rolled his eyes and marched past the rest of the group. If they were going to do this, then they were going to do this. He swiped the card and shoved the door open. They were far enough away from the front desk that he didn't worry about the sound of the crash bar alerting the night clerk.

He held the door open for the rest, all clad in bathing suits and carrying towels. Relena also carried plastic cups. Duo had a bottle of wine. Quatre, a liter of Coke. Meilan brought Jack.

Wufei wished he'd brought his common sense. Instead, he followed them out to the pool.

 **6\. Got caught playing in ~~neighbor's~~ sprinklers  
** Pairings: 6+2, 1+R, 3+4, 5+Meilan  
**Summary:** Less "playing" and more... running for his life. The pranks escalate.

Everyone was in a rotten mood. Wufei and the girls had hangovers, Zechs had lost $300 to Heero and another $50 to Trowa, and the hotel's "continental breakfast" had consisted of bagels, bananas and a kind of black sludge that was being passed off as coffee. Duo called it a crime against nature. The only one of their motley crew in a good mood was Quatre. Even that was pushing it, since he had a bit of a hangover himself.

It was one of those moments that stood out in vivid memory. Even weeks later, despite bad moods, lack of sleep and hangovers, everyone would remember that at precisely 10:44 am, they had been reloading the cars with their luggage, barely exchanging more than ten words between them all, and at 10:45, Duo was running through across the hotel's front courtyard with Wufei right behind, threatening bloody murder.

It wasn't that they remembered the way Duo had casually looked at the time on his watch and asked Wufei: "Fei, have you heard?"

"About what, Maxwell?"

"About the word."

What they would remember was that at that exact moment, the alarm clock on Wufei's phone suddenly started singing out the answer. Every two minutes.

Wufei managed to tackle him right around the third "Don't you know?" That was when the sprinklers went off and no one really cared about the bird and the word anymore.

* * *

~~7\. Got on the wrong bus to the wrong summer camp~~

* * *

**8\. Staying the weekend in a cabin and heard a noise outside at night  
** Pairings: 3x4  
**Summary:** A little bit of privacy, no electricity and a willing blonde.

Trowa loved his friends—he did—but sometimes... they could be a little much. He was thankful that tonight they weren't all crowed together into two hotel rooms or the little beach house. Instead, he and Quatre finally had some room to breathe in the little two-person cabin. He suspected that the others all felt the same; Zechs and Heero had both said as much.

Zechs had turned a lovely shade of purple when Heero agreed that it would be nice to have some privacy with Relena. That was when Zechs started losing and they had to stop playing for money.

"How much did you take him for?" Quatre asked, sitting down cross-legged on the bed. He had a towel in one hand, vigorously rubbing at his freshly-washed hair.

"Not as much as Heero did."

Quatre pulled a face. The competition between those two had only gotten worse as they'd gotten older. "How much?"

"Three hundred."

"Are you kidding?!"

Trowa shook his head, sitting down beside Quatre and taking the towel into his own hands. He was gentler, squeezing the last of the water from the fine blonde hair and using a wide-toothed comb to get rid of the tangles. "You know Relena will make him give it back."

Quatre hummed in both appreciation and agreement, leaning into Trowa's shoulder. "What about you?"

"What about me? I'm going to buy us a nice bottle of wine and refuse to share." Trowa wrapped his arms around the little blonde, kissing his neck. "I'm not the one banned from playing cards. Or Monopoly."

"That is not fair and you know it," Quatre pouted, knowing full well that it was fair.

"Which one of us has a scar in the shape of a hotel?"

Quatre had the grace to blush. 

"C'mon. Duo was going to barbecue burgers." Trowa kissed him again before getting up. "I think there might have been something about s'mores too."

***

Whatever might have happened after dinner and dessert was canceled by rain. Since Zechs was still smarting over the impromptu poker night and Wufei was still planning creative ways to get even with Duo for the phone prank, Trowa thought that might have been for the best. Taking advantage of the quiet, private cabin was much more his speed tonight. Quatre didn't argue.

They had thought to watch movies on Trowa's laptop, curled up together on the bed while the rain came down outside. The rain started to pound about halfway in, crashing down on the roof so loudly that they could barely hear what was going on on-screen. Then the power went out. Trowa had already unplugged the machine from the wall when the lightning started, but now he shut the computer down completely. There was no sense in running down the battery when they couldn't enjoy the movie.

"So much for that," Quatre groused, not trying to be heard over the thunder and rain. He turned on his phone's flashlight.

"I don't mind."

"No, you're entirely too calm about everything," he had to admit with a smile. It was one of the things he loved about Trowa; nothing ruffled him. 

"If you like, I can offer to have at least one meltdown a month. Add some excitement into our life?"

"Oh, ha-ha," Quatre said. "You're so funny."

"I'm hilarious," Trowa deadpanned right back.

Quatre pushed him to lay back on the bed, turning off the flashlight and setting it on the nightstand. "Well, if we can't watch movies and you're going to be so accommodating about everything, I can think of a few other ways to add excitement to our life, funny guy."

"Do tell." Trowa let a teasing smile ease into his voice, his hands running down Quatre's sides to catch the hem of his tee. He traced the tips of his fingers along the skin underneath. Even in the dark, he could tell that Quatre was grinning.

"Hmm... well, for starters..." 

***

The rain let up but the power stayed off. With the AC out, the cabin quickly grew humid and stuffy. Without a distraction—a distraction that, if they were being honest, had probably exacerbated the situation—it quickly became unbearable. Trowa opened the window, the cool breeze helping almost immediately, bringing in fresh air and making his skin prickle as he crossed the floor back to bed. 

Quatre held open the bedding for Trowa to crawl back under and they snuggled down under just the top sheet. The patter of rain was relaxing now, soft and steady. The breeze kicked up every so often, light gusts of wind knocking a branch against the side of the cabin or rustling the bushes beneath the window. Dozing, Trowa ran his fingers through Quatre's baby-soft hair, completely at peace with the way the evening had turned out. Zechs, Heero and Wufei all appreciated their downtime, but Trowa, in particular, needed these quiet moments away from the rest of the group.

He was very nearly asleep with Quatre already dreaming beside him when he heard the scream. They both sat up straight, looking around in a panic until they heard it:

" _Now_ we're even, Maxwell!"

* * *

**9\. Bought a slushie and took too big of a drink and got a brainfreeze  
** Pairings: 6+2, 1+R, 3+4, 5+Meilan  
**Summary:** Back on the road. A brief moment at 7-Eleven.

"Is that what I think it is?" Heero arched an eyebrow at Duo.

"What? I'm not driving," he shrugged, pouring a shot from his flask into the extra large Piña Colada Slurpee he'd just bought. 

"You're impossible."

"I don't deny that," he stirred the rum into the Slurpee with the straw. "You're not driving either. You want?"

"All yours."

With another shrug, Duo took a long drink, pleased with the kick until it kicked back. He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Ow! Fuck!"

"How many times are you going to do that until it finally sinks in that cold things are cold?" Heero asked, arching an eyebrow at the scowling family in the car beside theirs. They had Utah plates.

"Oh, fuck you, Yuy."

"I'll leave that to Zechs. But you're right—" he grabbed the slushed drink and took a slower sip off of Duo's straw, "I'm not driving either."

* * *

**10\. Boat stopped running while in the middle of the lake  
** Pairings: 6+2, 1+R  
**Summary:** They've reached the final destination: Crystal Lake. It's not a horror movie, Duo.

The little boat that came with the lake house was old, but it was seaworthy. Heero and Duo both had looked over the engine and found it sound. It was a little rough-running, but it wasn't in bad shape. There was a tool kit and they were sure that if any problems did arise, they could handle it. An engine was an engine, right? Which was fine in theory, but in practice found their little group of four stuck in the middle of Crystal Lake, a belt blown, no bars on their phones and their friends on shore laughing when they realized that the boat was dead in the water.

They had the decency to call for a tow, but it was going to take awhile. They had no way of communicating that to the group in the boat, however, so beyond waving and signaling that they understood what was going on, the quartet could only wait.

"We're never going to hear the end of this," Duo sighed, laying along the gunwale, letting his foot droop down into the water.

"No, _you're_ never going to hear the end of it," Relena corrected. "You're the one who knows engines."

"I know car engines. Not boats."

"We should have double checked that there were spare belts," Heero shrugged. "There's nothing we can do about it now."

"Except wait for Jaws to attack and solve everything."  
"Great White sharks don't live in freshwater," Zechs patted his thigh. "Jason Voorhees might capsize us though."

"Don't encourage him," Heero rolled settled down on the deck with his legs stretched out in front of him. Relena sat down next to him, popping open her sunscreen for another application. If they were going to be out here awhile, she didn't want to burn.

"It's the wrong Crystal Lake anyway," Duo waved his hand dismissively. "That one was in Jersey. Come to think of it, so was _Jaws._ "

"I thought _Jaws_ was in Maine?" Relena frowned.

"Massachusetts. But the attacks it was based on were in Jersey."

"You just had to get him started, didn't you?" Heero arched an eyebrow at his girlfriend.

"Mill started it," she pointed out. "What else are we going to do while we wait?"

"Not talk about lake and shark-related horror movies?"

"You're not scared of sharks, are you Heero?" Duo teased, lifting his head to look at his friend.

"I'm not the one who screamed like a little girl over some seaweed," Heero reminded him. 

"I thought we agreed never to talk about that?"

"You agreed. The rest of us didn't."

"You suck," Duo stuck his tongue out at him. Heero just smirked.

"How much longer, do you think?" Relena asked after a moment. She handed Heero the sunscreen to put on her back and shoulders.

"Not long," Zechs reassured her, looking out around them. "There aren't many other boats on the lake today and no one else looks like they're in need of rescue."

"Unless the zombie apocalypse started on shore."

"Duo Maxwell, I will push you off and let you drown."

Duo cackled with laughter at that. In the end, pushing him off wasn't necessary.

He fell instead.

* * *

**11\. Burnt dinner while barbecuing, ~~and forgot the potato salad in the car~~  
** Pairings: 6+2, 1+R, 3+4, 5+Meilan  
**Summary:** On this episode of "Worst Cooks in America...."

Duo Maxwell knew two things: cars and barbecue. He was hopeless in a kitchen, but give the man a grill and he could cook like Bobby Flay. Burgers and hot dogs were child's play. His steaks were legendary. Lamb and fish and shrimp were special treats, seasoned to perfection.

So it really should have been Duo cooking, but he was still out on the lake with Zechs, Heero and Relena. But Quatre thought it might be nice for the four to come back to a nice meal waiting after a long, bad afternoon stranded on the lake. Trowa would have been the reasonable choice to play stand-in for Chef Duo, but he had gone to pick the four up from the repair shop where the boat had been towed. That left Quatre, Meilan and Wufei.

It really shouldn't have been a surprise to anyone that the burgers ended up as charcoal bricks.

* * *

**12\. Sitting outside watching the stars  
** Pairings: 6+2  
**Summary:** Zechs finally asks The Question. Eventually.

It was quiet on the lake, the row of houses at its shore gone dark or dim, all the boats tucked into dock and the neighbor's screaming kids banished to bed. A few dogs barked, but the quiet had taken over. It was crickets and night birds and the occasional passing of a car on the nearby highway. The stars were brighter than Duo had ever seen them, trailing thick and sparkling across the Milky Way.

He and Zechs sat at the end of the dock, side by side with their feet trailing in the water. Their friends had all scattered: Heero and Relena gone into town to see a movie, Wufei and Meilan taking a walk along the darkened shore—Duo had lost track of their flashlight—Trowa and Quatre pretending to watch Netflix in their bedroom. It was nice to have these moments alone with Zechs, leaning against his side with a blanket draped around their shoulders and a thermos of Irish coffee shared between them.

"Just a couple of days left," Duo broke the comfortable silence between them. 

"Not ready to go back?"

"I'm not sure. Sleeping in our bed will be nice, but..." he shrugged. "What about you? You're the one with the job that won't stop calling or emailing."

"Thank you for reminding me." Zechs looked at him with a mild expression, quirking his lips when Duo smiled innocently. He hugged him around the shoulders, exhaling heavily. "No. No, I'm not ready to go back. Our bed does sound appealing though."

"We'll need at least another week to recover. I'm up for spending the whole time in bed." Duo's smile shifted from sweet to wicked and Zechs laughed, nodding.

"That's not recovery, but it certainly sounds more fun than endless meetings and financial reports."

"When do you have to be back at the bank?"

"Wednesday. Unless the market crashes or the building catches on fire, I'll have two more days to spend at home." 

"Good. I don't have to go into the shop until Tuesday."

"A whole day together," Zechs squeezed him closer. "Whatever will we do?"

"The three 'S'es sound good: sleep, sex and Sid's Pizza." Duo looped his arms around Zech's trim waist, settling his head on his chest, tucked beneath his chin. He closed his eyes, content and warm. He missed his city living, but this was nice: the quiet, the stars, Zechs' cellphone not constantly buzzing. The only buzzing right now was the bugs.

"I'm glad we did this." Zechs rested his cheek on top of Duo's head, tightening his hold around the slimmer, shorter man.

"Me too. I'm sorry Treize and Leia couldn't come."

Zechs didn't answer and Duo wondered for a moment if he was more hurt than he'd let on when Treize had declined the invitation. They'd all known that things would change when Treize married Trowa's eldest sister, knew they'd change even more when the baby was born, but it had all been in theory before. Practice was surprisingly harder. They didn't tell you about this part of growing up.

"Treize thought they might host a dinner party later in the summer," Zechs finally said.

"That'd be nice. I was thinking we should do dinner soon too. Maybe barbecue up on the roof and watch the fireworks on Labor Day?"

Zechs nodded. "Maybe something sooner. Celebrate."

Duo could never resist a cryptic opening like that. "Celebrate what?"

"I was thinking..." Zechs drew back so that they had space to look at each other. "That we might need to hold an engagement party."

Duo licked his lips, giving a little laugh as he blinked slowly. He felt a little shaky, wondering if Zechs was talking about what Duo thought he was talking about. Leading where Duo thought he was leading. "You're not talking about Heero and Relena."

"No. I'm not." The expression on Zechs' face was earnest, determined, strangely vulnerable. He dipped a hand into his shirt and came out with two rings on a chain; Duo recognized them. He was used to seeing them in the wooden jewelry box Zechs kept in their massive closet, with his fine watches and the collection of body jewelry that no one else ever saw.

"Len's jealous," he continued, taking the rings off of their chain. "But I'm older. Older brothers are supposed to get married first, right?"

"Usually." His heart was pounding. They'd talked about this, yes, but he hadn't expected it on this trip. Hadn't expected those rings. It was all suddenly quite real and he wasn't sure he could catch his breath long enough to speak. "Zechs..."

"I know, I know. It's not a competition. And... it doesn't have to change anything. People have long engagements. We can do that, if that's what you want." He was speaking quickly now and Duo felt horrible. He didn't want Zechs to automatically give him an out or a loophole. It was his own doing—he'd always run away before, reluctant to let himself trust anyone with his heart. Zechs knew that. Expected that.

Duo shook his head, angry at himself that he had trained his lover to expect the worst. Angry that he hadn't realized how badly he had wanted this moment himself. It should have been easy and instead he'd been slow to react. Zechs had taken his surprise for reluctance, when this time, for once, he wasn't going to run. They had talked about marriage, after all. More than once.

He reflected again on how theoreticals were so much easier.

"Zechs. Milliardo, stop. Stop," he put his hands on the blonde's forearms, stopping him from fumbling with the rings before he could drop them into the lake. 

"I'm sorry. We should have talked about—"

"We have," Duo reminded him. "But you haven't asked me anything yet."

"What?"

"Mill. _Ask_ me."

It was remarkable, Duo thought as he watched Zechs process his words, just how much Zechs could be like Relena at times. He watched an embarrassed but happy and relieved smile replace the disappointment on that handsome face. 

"I haven't, have I? Asked."

"No. So do it, blondie. Before I change my mind."

Zechs' laughter broke the quiet of the lake, joyful and genuine. He took Duo's hands into his, sliding the gold and titanium bands onto Duo's left ring finger. "Duo Maxwell, will you marry me?"

He could breathe now, but just barely. "Yes."

* * *

**13\. Balancing on one foot because a flipflop broke while on the hot asphalt  
** Pairing: 5+Meilan  
**Summary:** The return of Mei's bikini.

He had told her not to wear those silly shoes. Beat-up flip-flops that were on their last legs were fine for the beach and the lake, not grocery runs. Meilan had been stubborn, as usual, and Wufei gave in, as usual. Instead of Mei taking the time to change clothes and find a pair of "real" shoes, she'd simply thrown a pair of tiny, ratty denim shorts on over her bikini bottoms, left the top as it was and slipped on the rubber sandals. It had really been quicker and Wufei was never one to pass up the sight of his girlfriend in that bikini; it really should be considered against the Geneva Convention to argue while wearing a top that tiny.

Which is what led them to this point, with her hopping along through the parking lot, trying to avoid putting her bare foot down onto the hot pavement, hands full with bags of snacks and dinner fixings. It wasn't so quick now.

"Mei, wait." Wufei took her bags into his already full arms. "Just wait right here. I'll be right back for you."

He didn't give her a change to argue. He took the bags to the car, fumbling for the keys and leaving her balanced on one foot, her hand occasionally straying to the nearest fender or bumper to steady herself. When Wufei came back, without a word and his face mildly irritated, he swept her up into his arms and carried her to the car.

"My hero."

"I would accuse you of doing this on purpose, but I know you liked those ridiculous shoes too much for that."

Meilan kicked her feet lightly and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She grinned. "I'd accuse you of enjoying this, but you like that stick up your ass too much for that."

"I can always drop you, you know." He said it with a raised eyebrow, the corner of his mouth twitching towards a smirk.

"You do that and I'm in a one-piece for the rest of the summer."

* * *

**14\. Lighting fireworks ~~and caught the neighbor's bushes on fire~~  
** Pairings: 6+2, 1+R, 3+4, 5+Meilan  
**Summary:** Celebrating.

The reactions were to be expected. A lot of "about time"s and "oh, my God"s with a few wry jokes about fear of commitment, shotguns and eloping. More hugs than even Duo was comfortable with. Wine. More wine. Fireworks.

Sparklers and firecrackers, if one wanted to get semantic.

The neighbors didn't appreciate the difference. Neither did the sheriff's department.

* * *

**15\. Trying to make a bonfire ~~but it won't light~~  
** Pairings: 6+2, 1+R, 3+4, 5+Meilan  
**Summary:** Last night. What is it with these pyromaniacs?

Quatre was no longer allowed near the lighter fluid. Duo had been banned from the matches during the firecracker incident. In fact, at this point in the trip the only person who could be trusted with fire at this point seemed to be Relena, which only proved how far the rest of them had sunk.

"I am never going to let any of you live this down," she shook her head as she tied her hair up out of her face. "Never."

She used the long fireplace matches to start strategic little fires among the kindling and newspaper in the fire pit, the carefully arranged logs catching as the flames rose. She tossed the thin sticks in afterwards and brushed her hands off on her shorts. 

Heero handed her a marshmallow on a skewer, which she promptly managed to set on fire.


	4. 1x4/1+4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another set of "Random 10 Song Drabbles," this time featuring Heero, Quatre and 1x4/1+4. They could be taken together as part of one single AU, or lots of little possible AUs throughout the series and post series. 
> 
> **Rating:** Teen  
>  **Warning** that #5 does include **suicidal, post-ZERO Quatre**. There's some depression scattered throughout the ten drabbles, but that's the big one.

**1\. AFI — “Deep Slow Panic” (4:02)**

It had never been easy between them. Right from the beginning, it had been difficult. But then, Quatre reflected, he hadn’t made the best of impressions the first time he and Heero actually met.

Later, it was an uneasy friendship, admiration from a distance. Heero was, strangely, the one who understood him the most. Quatre had been drawn to Trowa for his mystery, but Heero… Heero was his strength.

**2\. Tommy James & The Shondells — “Crystal Blue Persuasion” (4:07)**

It was naive, maybe. The word “peace” was tossed around like new currency, but Heero really believed in it. Not the “holding-hands, love-your-neighbor” kind that the pacifists spouted. He was fairly certain that even Relena, at her most adamant, had never really believed in that kind of pacifism. But he believed in the kind that you worked for.

Quatre was of the mind these days, that if more people worked for peace, they’d actually have a better chance at ending war. Heero thought he was onto something with that. They’d all fought and sacrificed and worked so hard. He’d be damned if he’d let an eight-year old destroy all of that.

**3\. Stone Sour — “Absolute Zero” (3:50)**

It had been stupid. All of it. Trowa was dead. Civilians dead. Quatre half out of his mind with grief, Heero just barely holding on to his own fractured psyche.

Every single moment from the second they returned into space had been a mistake. No. It had started sooner than that. It had started in Siberia. At New Edwards. At the moment Heero first climbed into the cockpit of that fucking machine.

ZERO was supposed to show him the future, but instead, all Heero could see was the past.

**4\. A Perfect Circle — “Vanishing” (4:51)**

Quatre was looking less and less substantial these days. The dark circles under his eyes never went away. He looked like he might be blown away by the slightest breeze.

Heero didn’t have a clue what to do for him. All he seemed to be able to do was watch Quatre pull further and further into himself. Disappearing into a shell of his former self.

**5\. Shakespear’s Sister — Stay" (3:47)**

Heero caught him with the knife before Quatre could do any real damage.

“What did you think you were doing?” he demanded, bleeding from his own hands even as he wrapped towels around Quatre’s arms. He’d had to catch the knife by the blade before the blonde could make another cut. The palace staff probably wouldn’t be pleased with the clean-up. Heero cared less about them than he cared about Quatre.

“I wasn’t trying to do anything!” Quatre shouted back. His pale face was blotchy and streaked with tears. “I would have done it if you hadn’t stopped me!”

“Then it’s a good thing I stopped you!”

**6\. Breaking Benjamin — “Angel’s Fall” (3:49)**

Quatre took a deep breath, staring up at Sandrock. He could do this. He knew this machine. He knew this system. Heero believed in him.

Heero thought he was strong enough. The boy who was stronger than all of them believed in Quatre. He might have laughed if he didn’t think he’d cry instead.

He’d thought it would be Trowa. Instead it was Heero who had brought out the best in Quatre, encouraging him, helping him heal from that horrible nightmare. Who believed that he could face his demons and come out stronger.

He was willing to bet all of their lives, the colonies, even the earth on it.

**7\. Cyndi Lauper — “Shine (Babylon Mix)” (4:25)**

It had been Duo’s idea, the dancing and the party, even though they were all exhausted. Quatre couldn’t deny that he was enjoying himself. They’d all fought so hard, they deserved some of the reward. He’d thought Heero might slip away, skip the celebrations and the people. Like he’d done last Christmas. Instead Heero was here, at his side and looking far younger than Quatre had ever known he could look.

When he put his arm around Heero’s neck the other boy had smiled, even laughed, and looped his own arm around Quatre’s waist. He’d leaned in and kissed Quatre, without reservation or hesitation, joyous and brilliant and brave. Quatre had never felt so lucky.

**8\. Skunk Anansie — “Search and Destroy” (4:24)**

Heero was restless. Quatre could see that, even through his depression and grief. He knew Heero was grieving too; he had said as much. He felt awful for making Heero worry about him. He needed to be stronger, not make Heero babysit him.

This limbo they’d been left in made them both feel off-balance, but it was Heero who was feeling a loss of identity. If he wasn’t fighting, then who was he? Quatre, despite his pain, at least knew the answer to that question.

**9\. The Offspring — “You’re Gonna Go Far Kid” (2:58)**

Quatre should have been back on L4. He should have been running an empire. He should have been living up to his father’s legacy.

Instead he was in tactical gear, his shining hair covered with a black knit cap, wearing a Preventers badge and running through a warehouse with Heero at his side. Duo had already taken care of the explosives—Fei had complained about that—and Trowa was ready with the helicopter for extraction.

There were any number of things that a 19 year old business magnate should be doing. Quatre had never liked doing what other people thought he should.

**10\. Walk the Moon — “Shut Up and Dance” (3:19)**

It hadn’t always been like this. It had been painful, difficult, sorrowful. But they were older now. The world had changed and they had changed with it.

Now it was fun. Heero had taught Quatre how to be strong, but Quatre had taught Heero how to laugh. Duo and Trowa had laid the groundwork, but their friends had only ever been just that. Friends. Quatre had mourned that at first, until he and Heero had found each other.


	5. Maskim AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 15 14 Days of Summer  
> Prompts from [@alloftheprompts on tumblr.](http://alloftheprompts.tumblr.com/post/139841315276/high-school-romance-prompts-your-character-needs-a)
> 
>  **Rating:** Teen+  
>  **Pairings:** 6+2, 1+R, 3+4, 5+Meilan (specific ships are noted at the beginning of each drabble, and Duo's 18, btw. If that matters to anyone.)  
>  **Summary:** A High School Romance AU set in something that may or may not resemble my tiny, rural home town. Set circa 2003.
> 
> As is my tendency, some are drabbles, some are more ficlet-sized. Like the Summer drabbles, I skipped a couple of prompts too.
> 
> These are building up part of a very old AU that I'm looking to rewrite, so at one point, you'll hopefully get a larger fic that may include some of these stories.

 

**1\. Your character needs a tutor.**

**Pairings:** surprise! Not really, if you've read the tags/chapter summary.

 **Summary:** Duo is failing Anatomy & Physiology.

 

It was not what he wanted to hear. It was definitely not what his mother wanted to hear and she was going to kill him when she found out. Duo leaned his head against the wall, slumped down on the ground with his books beside him while Heero rolled his eyes at his dramatics.

"So just get a tutor."

"What?"

"The thought didn't occur to you?" Heero arched one eyebrow. He crouched down beside his friend in the empty hallway. "Just get a tutor and pull your grade up. You only need a C, right?"

"To pass. Mom wants a B- or better." He winced a little. "I'm sort of still in the shit for not telling her about my speeding ticket."

"That was three months ago."

He shrugged. "Apparently with greater freedom comes greater responsibility. I fucked up with the car, so I have to be better with school. It's a tradeoff."

"What's the consequences?"

"Zechs."

"Shit. Okay," Heero said, entering that focused, problem-solving mode that he sometimes did when he was either looking to get Duo out of trouble or helping him get in it, "do you need to pass overall with a B or just this quarter?"

"B- and just the quarter. She said we'll cross next quarter when we get there."

"Yeah, if I'm going to help you, you're doing better than a B-, Maxwell. What are you missing?"

"A couple of assignments. I missed the frog dissection." He made a face at that; they weren't supposed to do frogs. That was biology a couple of years ago and he'd gotten out of that too. Why should he be penalized for surprise frogs that weren't even on the lesson plan? "Wait, you're going to help me?"

Heero looked at him weirdly. "You're my best friend. Why wouldn't I?"

"Um, 'cause you're busy as fuck?" Duo pointed out, gesturing to Heero's own pile of text books. He didn't need to mention the sports decorating his varsity jacket.

"I'm in the same class. It's not that big of a deal to help you study for the same tests." Heero have him a wicked smile. "Besides, do you think I want to hear my girlfriend complain when you can't date Zechs anymore because of an _elective_ class?"

 

* * *

 

**2\. Your character is the popular kid falling in love with an outcast.**

**Pairings:** 6+2

 **Summary:** Duo is not an outcast. Far from it. But he's surprisingly insecure when it comes to Milliardo "Zechs" Peacecraft. (This takes place before the previous drabble.)

 

"I just don't get it," Duo shrugged, looking miserable. He wouldn't meet Zechs' eyes, just leaned against his black '69 Dodge and kicked at the dusty road. The sky above was clear and filled with stars. "Why should you pay any attention to me? I'm just your kid sister's friend."

"You've never just been Relena's friend," Zechs reassured him. "You stood out all on your own."

"For all the wrong reasons, I'm sure."

There was bitterness in his voice that Zechs didn't understand or like. What had happened in the four years since he'd been at university? Relena had always kept him updated on her friends and their lives, but she'd never mentioned anything that might have brought this anger on.

"I don't recall any, no." He reached out to put his hand on Duo's shoulder, but the younger man stepped back out of reach. He sighed but didn't press the issue. "Duo, I like you. Is that so hard to believe?"

"Yes!"

"Okay. Then tell me why?"

"Because of where we live, for one." Duo turned away, running his hands through his hair and mussing his braid. "Because you're you and I'm me."

Zechs understood even less now. Duo was popular. He wasn't rich like the Peacecrafts, but his mother worked hard and so did he. They weren't living paycheck to paycheck. They were comfortable, their house nice, his car the envy of everyone. He was smart, no matter what his math and science grades said. But where they lived, that made some sense.

"Is it because you're not out?" Romefeller was a small town, and a conservative one at that. Zechs knew from Relena that Trowa and Quatre kept their relationship extremely quiet for more reasons than Quatre's father. Zechs kept his own sexuality quiet for similar reasons.

Duo shrugged, as if it didn't matter. Zechs knew that it did. "You never dealt with the same bullshit that I do. Nobody ever questioned you."

"They did. A little." It was true though, and he'd always been enough of a jock, enough of his father's son that no one wanted to alienate Zechs. "What happened?"

"You'll think differently of me."

"I could never."

"Why?"

"You know why." The words hung between them, heavy. Zechs wasn't ready to say them and Duo wasn't ready to hear them. Youth and uncertainty held them back. It was too much, too soon, even if that's where they were heading. Neither of them felt anything halfway—they never had—about anything.

This time when Zechs reached out to Duo, the younger man didn't shy away. He stepped into Zechs like he'd wanted to do since he was in second grade and the blonde was his own personal hero. Like he'd wanted to do for months, since Relena's party. For weeks, since their first date that wasn't a date. For days, since he'd admitted to Heero that he was scared of opening himself up again. Setting himself up again. Tempting fate again.

This had always been the only possible outcome, the two of them standing in this literal crossroads under the stars while the radio played Queen.

So he leaned into Zechs, sliding his arms around the taller man's shoulders and sinking into his embrace, hiding his face against the soft skin of his neck, inhaling the fantastic cologne Zechs wore. He held tight, heart pounding and teeth biting into his lip before he gathered his courage—Duo Maxwell was not a coward!— and put his hand to Zechs' jaw.

"Don't say it first," he whispered, "and don't think less of me."

And before Zechs could promise, Duo kissed him.

 

* * *

 

**3\. Your character sneaks out to meet their crush.**

**Pairings:** 6+2

 **Summary** : Less sneaks out, more... missed curfew and cellphones are not a thing yet.

 

Helen was waiting for him. Duo knew he was in the shit as soon as he walked in and saw her there, sitting in her favorite chair with just one lamp on. Her arms were folded across her chest and although there was a book on the end table, she hadn't been reading. Her dainty, trendy glasses were neatly folded and sitting on top of the book.

"Where have you been?" She wasn't yelling. She never yelled, even when she was really angry. She was really angry.

"There was a dance after the game," he reminded her. He didn't add that he'd skipped the dance and driven out into the valley with Zechs. "And I lost track of time after that."

"School dances end at midnight, Duo. It's nearly 2am."

"I'm sorry, Mom."

"That's not good enough. Not this time." She sighed and it was disappointed, which was even worse than if she'd been angry. Duo felt himself hunch his shoulders and drop his head a little lower just in reaction to that voice. "First the speeding ticket, now this. And I know your grades have been dropping; Mr. Seymour called and told me about that personally."

"Only in that stupid anatomy class. It's not my fault that he made us do a surprise frog dissection with the freshmen! I can't do frogs. There weren't supposed to be frogs!"

"Well, there were frogs and I expect you to pull your grade up. B- or better, Duo Maxwell."

"But Mom-"

"Don't 'but, Mom' me. I know we went through that rough patch a few years ago with that Mueller boy and his friends, but you're not going to start slipping now. Not your senior year, not so close to college."

Duo winced; that wound was a little raw, especially after tonight. After telling Zechs. But it was her next words that made his heart drop into the bottom of his stomach.

"I know you're seeing Relena's brother, Duo."

"What? Mom, no-"

"You're a lousy liar, sweetheart," she said gently. "You've been hanging out with him for weeks and without your other friends. It doesn't take a genius."

"Are you mad?" He wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer to that.

"Mad? No. A little hurt that you didn't want to tell me, but no. I'm not mad. Milliardo has always been a good boy and you know I like Relena." Helen stood up and went to her son, standing eye to eye with him. He looked miserable and she hugged him. "My Duo... I know it's hard. I do."

"But?"

She pulled back to look at him, her face stern but kind. "You're going to get that grade up . You're going to get home on time and you're not going to get any more speeding tickets. And if you don't, you won't be seeing Zechs for a long, long time."

"Mom!"

"That's the deal. I'm not asking a lot."

She wasn't. That was the worst part. Duo nodded, eyes downcast. "Okay."

"Okay."

 

* * *

 

**~~4\. Your character tries to confess with the help of something they've just learned in class.~~ **

**5\. Your character sneaks away during a field trip to hang out with their Significant Other.**

**Pairings** : 3+4

 **Summary** : Band trips are the best trips.

 

The best part about band trips was that as long as you showed up for rehearsal, the performance and the bus, no one really cared about what else the students did. Oh, there was curfew, and boys weren't supposed to go in the girls' rooms and vice versa, but on the whole, there wasn't a lot of chaperoning done by the chaperones.

This particular trip was a lot more fun than others. This was a six hour bus ride punctuated with "educational" stops and, after they'd checked into the hotel, a trip to the nearby observatory. This was special, and for once, the band was being treated special. It wasn't the usual quick trip into Victoria Falls for the local University homecoming parade or a couple of hours to Regionals. It wasn't even the same as an overnight to State.

The observatory was old, its museum small and less impressive than Trowa had expected. For one of the oldest observatories in the country, one that had made such important discoveries, he'd expected... more. He didn't think anyone else quite understood just where they were.

Quatre nudged his shoulder. They'd broken off from the main group, broken off further from their band friends until it was just them, wandering from exhibit to exhibit. "Do you want to go outside? They have the telescopes open."

"Maybe later. Everyone else seems to be out there too." He looked up, realizing for the first time that they were alone in this particular area. No band kids. No locals. No tourists.

He caught Quatre's hand in his and stepped closer, closer than either of them were comfortable with when they were around anyone except their core group. Quatre smiled, leaning his forehead against Trowa's chest. "Wanna go take a look at the big telescope?

"It's a long walk."

Quatre looked up at him, eyes wide. "It is? A long walk, alone, in the dark? Are you afraid I might accost you in the bushes, Mr. Barton?"

"You've been hanging out with Duo too much," Trowa couldn't help the smile that crossed his face. He squeezed Quatre's hand and stepped back, pulling him along. "C'mon. Consult your map, Mr. Winner. Let's find the longest way to get there."

 

* * *

 

**6\. Your character is secretly dating someone when a formal dance is announced.**

**Pairings:** 6+2, 1+R, 3+4, 5+Meilan

 **Summary:** Duo has to make a choice. Supportive Zechs is supportive.

 

They were sitting in Duo's car at the library park, eating midnight tacos after the movie. Spring had come early and Duo didn't need to keep the big engine idling to run the heater. A couple of blankets and hot coffee was enough.

"Len said they announced the date for prom," Zechs ventured.

"That was subtle."

"I thought you liked me to be straight forward?"

That was true enough. Duo shrugged and didn't answer right away. "You know I don't expect you to ask me. I couldn't say yes if you did."

"I know. Are you going to take Hilde?"

"Probably. And Quatre will take Dorothy and Trowa will take Syl. Same as last year."

"Why don't you all skip it? It's for the Juniors anyway; no one will care if a group of Seniors go or not."

"I know," Duo shrugged again, crumpling up his taco wrapper and putting it in the bag. "We should. We thought about it. The semi-formal the week after is usually more fun anyway, but the girls want to go. They paid so much for their dresses, they want to get to wear them twice."

"That makes sense."

"Did you want to take me?" A small smile played on Duo's lips, shy and acerbic and pleased all at once. "If we could, would you want to?"

"Of course I would," Zechs wiped his hands on a napkin and turned to face Duo more fully, "but I understand why you won't say yes. Dermail would never allow it anyway."

Duo snorted. "No, he wouldn't."

"If you could you say yes, would you?"

"In a fucking heartbeat." He looked up at Zechs from under his bangs, grateful that they were parked under the trees, well away from the streetlights. It was easier to talk in the shadows. "Does it bother you? That I won't go with you or that I'll probably go with Hilde?"

"You've been going to dances with her all year," he shook his head. "Why would it bother me now?"

"Because it's prom. It's..." he sighed. "It's supposed to be special."

"It's just an excuse to get dressed up and go out. You said as much." He leaned in to see Duo better in the dark. "It's only special if you want it to be."

"I... I want it to be." It was hard to get the words out; it felt like Confession. "I want it to be you and me. It's not even my fucking prom and yeah, mine was fun, but... I want a do-over and I want it with you. Is that... is that stupid?"

"No! Of course not." Zechs put his hand on Duo's shoulder, drew him in so that they were forehead to forehead. "It's perfectly reasonable to want to take your boyfriend to a dance. Especially one that's supposed to be so important."

"It is stupid. You're twenty-two and out of college and into the real world. You're doing things that are a lot more important than some fancy high school dance." He tried to pull away but Zechs caught his face between gentle hands, fingers threading into his braid. Duo let him do it. "Zechs—"

"Stop, stop. Please." Zechs shook his head. " _You_ are important. The things you want are important. If you wanted me to take you to the Junior Prom and make it everything that you wished yours had been, then I would do it. But you don't want to be out, so we won't."

"Doesn't that piss you off?"

"No. You _know_ I understand, Duo. I hate that you feel like you have to hide and I hate even more that you have real reasons for it. That pisses me off. Not that you're doing it."

"I wish I was braver," he confessed, bitter. "I wish that I could tell Dermail and Alex and Mueller all to fuck off and dance with you under that stupid, ugly disco ball."

Zechs lowered his voice to a whisper, tracing a thumb over Duo's cheek. "Maybe I can't take you to the dance, but that doesn't mean that we can't do something afterwards."

"Like what?" The kids in Romefeller usually fell into two groups: those who behaved and did things like movie marathons with junk food and soda, and those who partied up the canyon, with kegs and bottles of cheap wine coolers gotten by someone's older brother. His group usually fell somewhere in the middle, with movies and the occasional raid of the Barton or Catalonia's liquor cabinets. With Zechs in the picture, however, Duo's mind went to other options. To other... traditions. He bit his lip.

"Let me think on it," Zechs offered, kissing his forehead and drawing away. It was chaste, sweet. He always managed to make Duo feel treasured, when coming from someone else it would have felt patronizing. "I'm sure I can think of something better than Denny's and drinking games in someone's basement."

"So can I," Duo admitted with a blush.

Zechs smiled, his teeth a flash of white in the dark. "Is that so?"

"Just thinking," he added hastily. He was so not ready for this conversation, especially not as raw as he felt right now.

"When you're ready to move on to 'just talking,'" Zechs asked, teasing gently to put Duo at ease, "you'll let me know, right?"

"Yeah. Definitely." He sighed heavily. "Zechs... Mill. Thanks."

Zechs smiled again and it was beautiful, a real, happy smile that made his eyes light up and dimples show at the corners of his mouth. Duo leaned across the seats to hug him, burying his face against his neck and fine blonde hair before kissing him. He really didn't deserve this wonderful man.

"We're still good with just kissing, right?"

"I love just kissing," Zechs assured him. He fell serious for a moment, brushing Duo's bangs away from his eyes. "You're okay?"

"I'm okay. Thank you. For worrying. For... everything."

 

* * *

 

**7\. Your character's ~~crush~~ bff is skipping school and your character investigates.**

**Pairings:** 6+2, 1+R, 3+4, 5+Meilan

 **Summary:** Secrets, secrets...

 

Heero wasn't one to skip class. It was part of how he kept on Dermail's good side and could argue plausible deniability whenever he was in on whatever stunt Duo got caught pulling. That was simply how it worked with their friendship: Duo caused trouble and Heero got him out of it.

So when Heero was missing from first period, Duo wasn't too worried. It wasn't like him to oversleep, but it was a rare possibility that he was sick. Heero did have awful allergies in the spring. But when second rolled around and Heero's car was in the parking lot but Heero wasn't in class, Duo got curious.

Like everyone else with a car, Heero didn't use his locker, so Duo staked out his crappy little Geo—never mind that that meant he was skipping the rest of second period too. It would be awkward when he went to collect his history books—unless Hilde was a sweetheart and collected them—but it wasn't like they were doing anything important anyway. Ever since they went to that ridiculous A/B schedule with the 85 minute classes their Junior year, the busywork had only increased. He didn't think it would matter if he missed yet another worksheet about what caused WWII.

Whatever Heero was up to was much more interesting.

When he finally turned up, maybe halfway through class, he paused at the sight of Duo leaning against his car, then joined him without a word. Duo arched an eyebrow and lifted a hand in a "well, come on" gesture.

"Whatcha doin'?"

"None of your business," Heero opened his car door to get his history books. The door creaked and it didn't line up right when he closed it.

"Probably not, but when you—you!—skip almost all morning and then saunter up here like it's nothing, a guy gets curious. C'mon. What'd you do? If we're filling Dermail's car with chickens again, I'd like to know about it."

"Relena's birthday is on Sunday."

"Yeah. So? We're still all going out tomorrow, right?"

Heero nodded. "Of course."

"Then... what are you up to, Yuy?" He was starting to get an idea. Small town, small school. Birthday traditions and the like. "If you painted up her car windows, she's going to kill you."

"I don't have a death wish," he snorted.

"Oh, my fucking God, Heero. Am I going to have to play Twenty Questions?"

"No. Just wait until lunch," he headed towards the side entrance, Duo at his heels. "She'll be happy. It's 'romantic.'"

Duo blinked and shook his head. "You're skipping class and doing romantic shit? Who are you and what did you do with my best friend?"

"I may have been informed that since 18 is very important, boyfriends are expected to do lavish displays. Especially if said boyfriend wants to keep all of his limbs."

"Zechs?"

"Dorothy."

Duo made a face. Dorothy was even more protective of Lena than Zechs was, and a lot more likely to carry out her threats.

They waited until break to slip into History class, offering placating smiles and excuses involving Heero's car when Mr. Weridge called them out on their absence. He liked them and the story was plausible, so there was no punishment beyond a stern lecture and threats of three o'clock floggings.

Hilde, Relena and Trowa demanded to know what was going on as soon as the class was broken up into groups to work on the end-of-chapter review questions. Duo was not surprised to be the focus; no one ever believed that he might be innocent for a change. He continued to protest his innocence while Heero remained tight-lipped about his absence clear up until the bell rang.

"Lunch at the cafe?" Hilde suggested, gathering up her books. Her baby tee rode up and her low-cut jeans slid down on her hips; Duo expected that she'd be sent home to change before the end of the day. He was surprised she hadn't already.

"I'll drive," Relena offered, even though it was nice enough to walk the few short blocks down Main Street. She didn't catch Heero's smile, but Duo did. So did Trowa, who arched his eyebrow at Duo, who shrugged. Heero ignored them both.

The rest of their friends joined them as they filed through the hall and walked across the grass to the street parking. Relena's shiny blue '02 Bug was parked neatly behind Dorothy's behemoth of a yellow Expedition. Whoever didn't fit in the Bug could go in the Monster.

As they neared the two vehicles, Relena shrieked in what Duo hoped—for Heero's sake—was happy surprise. He hadn't painted on the windows, but he had filled the little car to bursting with dozens and dozens of pearl pink balloons. A bouquet of roses and a teddy bear occupied the driver's seat along with a card that Duo suspected was either generic or had been written by Dorothy. Heero didn't do the love letter thing, even if he was being threatened with dismemberment.

Judging by Dorothy's expression as Relena hugged and kissed him, he was safe from her. Duo doubted he was going to be safe from Zechs, though, if Relena thanked him more enthusiastically later.

Duo was just going to have to distract him. For Heero's sake, of course.

 

* * *

 

**8\. Your character's barely even spoken to the person they are paired with for a project.**

**Pairings:** Dorothy and Walker (not romantic, though I guess it could be pre if you wanted it to be?)

 **Summary:** Some side characters get some attention.

 

Everyone hated group projects. That's just the way that it was. Partner work was just as bad, if not worse. Especially when the teacher made the pairings to avoid friends working together.

Dorothy in particular loathed these assignments, even when she was paired with a friend. Quatre would have been acceptable, even Sylvia—as much as they argued in and out of Chorus—would have been fine. Instead, she was paired with Oswald Walker, whose only claim to fame was that he could throw a football and was nice to look at. If she was going to work with a pretty athlete, Ms. Po could have at least paired her with someone intelligent like Trowa.

Dorothy resigned herself to doing the majority of this worksheet and essay. She consoled herself with the fact that he was at least not friends with Alex and Mueller.

Walker must have sensed her disdain, or maybe it was her reputation, because he gave her an apologetic smile as he sat in the desk beside hers. His notebook looked like it had barely been opened in the last seven months and his copy of Hemingway seemed to have been run over in the parking lot. Dorothy supposed she couldn't blame him there; she'd often fantasized about burning her own copy.

"So," Walker tried, "what do you think? Of the book?"

"I think the sharks should have eaten Santiago instead and ended the book sooner."

That caught Walker off guard; he laughed, loud and sudden. "You thought so too, huh?"

Dorothy smirked. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

 

* * *

 

**9\. Your character and their crush get lost together on a field trip.**

**Pairings** : 6+2, 1+R, 3+4, 5+Meilan

 **Summary** : Is it really Senior Skip Day if it's school sanctioned?

 

They weren't lost, Heero would insist. 18 year olds did not get lost at amusement parks. They were just... not where they were supposed to be. It should not have been so hard to get to the new roller coaster. He could see it from where they stood, but every route seemed to be blocked by gates and signs that read "employees only."

It had quickly passed the point where Relena was amused with him and instead was getting irritated. He was more than a little irritated himself.

"Let me see the map again."

Relena sighed but dug the slick paper brochure out of her bag—mini backpacks had gone out of style over five years ago, but they could be pretty useful on field trips. "We should have gone with Duo and Hilde."

"Do you remember the last time we stuck with them?"

"Oh. Right. That was the 'how many times can we ride the Mouse before we throw up' day." She shook her head as if she could get rid of the memory that way. "Remind me to warn my brother about that if he ever wants to take Duo to any amusement park or carnival."

Heero smirked at that. "Do you want to go do the Ferris wheel instead? I know how to get to that one."

"I don't know. Are you going to try to take advantage of me?"

The answer, of course, was a resounding yes.

 

* * *

 

**10\. Your character ~~thinks their crush~~ has been unfairly punished by the teacher.**

**Pairings** : 6+2, 1+R, 3+4, 5+Meilan

 **Summary:** That Anatomy class returns to haunt Duo.

 

"Heero, what's that letter next to my name?"

Heero leaned over Duo's shoulder to look at the grade printout, eyebrows knitting together in confusion and no small amount of anger. The letter "F" was unmistakable and certainly an error. He'd personally helped Duo finish all of his late assignments and studied with him for each test and quiz. "Not what it should be."

"That's what I thought," he shoved away from his desk, grades crumpled in hand as he marched up towards Mr. Seymour's desk. Heero followed closely at his heels.

It wouldn't help anything if Duo got himself suspended.

 

* * *

 

**11\. A teacher catches your character making out with someone.**

**Pairings** : 5+Meilan

 **Summary** : There's a reason Ms. Po avoids the halls between classes.

It was Sally Po's first year teaching English. Her students, with few exceptions, loved her. She, with few exceptions, felt the same.

Except when it came time to venture into the Senior hall between classes. These times were very rare—her office was located in the center of the humanities classrooms, safely insulated from the vulgarities brought on by a bunch of high schoolers allowed to linger by their lockers without any sort of hall monitor. Romefeller was a small school. Its students were trusted and, by and large, worthy of that trust. Sometimes the coaches—who played double and triple duty as coaches of multiple sports in addition to teaching their own classes—would join the Junior and Senior boys. They had favorites and Sally disdained the way that they favored Alex and Mueller over nicer boys like Trowa and Heero.

As much as Sally tried not to play favorites, she did appreciate the quieter group of five boys and five girls who had never gone out of their way to hurt anyone. Although there had been the case of Dorothy—she recalled the story from students and teachers alike—who had literally tried to castrate Alex two years ago with a plastic spork. From the stories, she gathered that Alex had more than deserved it.

Still, Sally never saw the need to mingle with students between classes or during lunch. The Senior hall—which included lockers for Juniors and Sophomores as well—was simply disgusting. She was no prude, and the occasional "F-bomb" as the kids called it, was inappropriate but not horrifying. No, it was the creative and descriptive way that they cursed. The sexual innuendoes and far too public public displays. She had sent Hilde Schbeiker home more often than she could count, yet it was acceptable for the boys to all but maul their girlfriends up against the lockers.

So no, she preferred to avoid the Senior hall, only using it at peak times when she was forced to. Otherwise, she saved her trips to the library or computer rooms for her free period. During class, the hall was blissfully empty or near enough to count. Which was why she was surprised, as she went to return a book to the library, by the sight of model student Wufei Chang seated on one of the benches and Meilan Long in his lap, kissing like they were trying to suck each other's tonsils out.

They didn't notice her, so she counted to ten, then put her hands on her hips and barked, "Are you _kidding_ me?! Get to class!"

She had never seen a boy blush so red.

 

* * *

 

**~~12\. Your character meets someone on a school trip.~~ **

**13\. Your characters pass love notes in class.**

**Pairings** : 5+Meilan

 **Summary** : Or, How to embarrass Wufei in three easy steps.

 

 **Step One:** Meilan wrote in bright pink pen, using her neatest, girliest handwriting. She decorated the half-sheet of paper with doodles of stars, hearts and a dragon. It was a very friendly looking dragon with purple horns.

 **Step Two:** Meilan folded the note with painstakingly perfect corners. It was a pattern all of the girls had mastered early on, with a crimped corner that—when done right—would pull the folds out with a single tug. There was an equal amount of finesse that went into placing it on Wufei's desk, right on top of his books.

 **Step Three:** There was rarely much of a wait. Wufei didn't trust Mei's sense of humor enough to leave the note in plain sight. He didn't always read them right away, but this time he did. Mei watched with a smile as his cheeks turned red and he shoved the paper into his pocket. It read, quite simply, "Meet me in the hall. Let's get caught again."

 

* * *

 

**~~14.Your character confesses on stage during a school production.~~ **

**15\. Your character decides to skip the school dance and their crush comes over to hang out with them.**

**Pairings:** 6+2, 1+R, 3+4, 5+Meilan

 **Summary:** A flashback to Homecoming, before it all began.

 

For all its pomp, Homecoming Week was not ended with a bang. Or a formal. It never had been, much to the eternal disappointment of the girls who wanted to wear glittery dresses and the boys who wanted to take advantage of them. Instead, there was only a casual dance held in the quad and open to the entire school. As it was always scheduled after the game, the enjoyment-levels hinged greatly on whether or not the football team won.

Relena had made it a tradition to throw a quiet party for her friends instead. Pizza, movies and board games usually turned out better than a dance with sulking jocks, even when they did lose and Team Captain Trowa had taken the brunt of the blame for it. When that happened, liquor quietly supplied by Dorothy usually made an appearance. Sometimes it made an appearance anyway.

It hadn't yet, as Quatre and Trowa let themselves into the big Federal style on the outskirts of town, where all of the new houses were being built. Everyone was in the large TV room, with its oversized sofas, huge television and handy location just off of the kitchen. Hilde and Sylvia were still missing—they'd insisted on going home to shower and change after cheering and dancing all night. Trowa's hair was still damp from his own shower in the locker room, slicked back from his eyes so that everyone could see his blush when they cheered for him.

"Knock it off," he rolled his eyes, but smiled. At his side, in his purple and gold varsity jacket, Quatre hugged him.

"You're just in time to break a tie," Duo, for once, decided not to tease. "Mei, Dorothy and I want to play Trivial Pursuit. The Mad Money Musketeers over there want to play Monopoly."

He jerked a thumb in the direction of Heero, Relena and Wufei.

"Don't look at me," Trowa held his hands up. "I'm Switzerland."

"Chicken. Quatre?"

Quatre answered with a smirk. There was only ever one answer. "Monopoly."

"Only because you always win," Dorothy said from her spot on the floor near Relena and Heero.

"Exactly," he joined Trowa on the couch. "There are advantages to being my father's son, you know."

"I still say you cheat, Banker Boy," Duo pointed accusingly at him.

"Prove it."

"Is that a challenge?"

"You're just still mad because you landed on my Boardwalk with four hotels last time."

"Damn right I am."

Duo was about to launch into his usual tirade about why Quatre shouldn't be allowed to play Monopoly and why the game itself was evil and should be burned like a Ouiji board when the doorbell rang. Relena gestured for him to go get it. "That's probably Hilde and Sylvia. Make yourself useful?"

"We'll make sure Quatre doesn't start embezzling early," Heero promised.

Duo just glared at them all and gave a dismissive wave of his middle finger over his shoulder as he went to answer. They were all welcome to come and go on nights like this, so he wondered why they were ringing the doorbell at all. Flinging open the door, he'd expected to see a petite pixie and a not-quite demure debutante. Instead what he got was six feet of the blonde god who'd haunted his dreams for most of the last seven years.

"Zechs? What the hell are you doing ringing the doorbell?" He asked this as if the boxes precariously balanced in Zechs' arms weren't answer enough.

"A little help?" Zechs arched one pale eyebrow.

It still took a moment for Duo to take his attention off of the way Zechs' long pale hair hung down past his hips, the way his black jeans looked painted on, the way he managed to smile without smiling. It had been nearly two years. Two years that had been good to the man who had always been beautiful.

"Duo?"

"What? Fuck—sorry. Yeah, lemme..." he took one of the boxes from Zechs, surprised at how heavy it was, and stepped back to let him into the house. "Jesus, what's in these? Bricks?"

"Books."

"I'm pretty sure they're bricks."

Zechs laughed. "Go ahead and set them down by the wall. I'll take them into the office from there."

Duo did so, managing not to drop the box in the process, and straightened up to look at Zechs. He tried not to stare, tried to be casual and put his hands in his back pockets. Tried not to let his heart stop when Zechs flashed an actual smile at him.

"So. How have you been, Duo?"

"I'm good," he shrugged. "Lena said you're starting up a business in town with Treize."

"Yeah. Yeah, I am," he nodded. "I've been moving a lot of books out of storage. Tax codes are worse than encyclopedias."

"And on Friday nights. That's—that's some dedication right there," Duo looked up at him, shifting his weight onto his back foot. He could never keep still when he was talking to Zechs, no matter how he tried to play it cool.

"The books were from earlier. Treize and I went to dinner and a movie afterwards with Anne and Lu." The admission was enough to make Duo feel his heart climb down out of his throat; Zechs and Lucrezia Noin had been on-off for as long as anyone could remember. They were probably on again, now that Zechs had come back from the East Coast.

"How was the game?" Zechs asked, drawing him out of his bitter realization. They were just fantasies. Always had been.

"Great!" he said, maybe a little too quickly. "Really great. We won—Tro made three touchdowns. He's the best thing to happen to that team in years."

"I'll have to congratulate him," Zechs smiled. "Duo... it's good to see you."

He blushed and like Trowa, couldn't hide it. His fair skin made it even more apparent, truth be told. "Yeah. You too, Zechs."


	6. Album Drabble Challenge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Album: Roger Miller, Best of His Greatest Songs  
>  Pairings:** Multiple, mostly traditional/classic  
>  **Rating:** T  
>  **Summary:** No single universe. Some are more ficlet than drabble. Somehow I managed to take an album half-filled with novelty songs and churn out a shit ton of angst.   
> **Warnings:** Language, underage drinking and minor character death references.
> 
> A prompt challenge by @claraxbarton. “Pick an album—any album—and write a drabble for each song on the track list.”

**King of the Road (3x4; set 1968/69-ish)**

He hopped the boxcar before it could pick up speed, swinging into it with a practiced pull of his arm, a push of his legs. It was no way to travel, but he’d read Kerouac one too many times. Run out of bus fare one too many times and had to depend on the so-called kindness of strangers.

It wasn’t as glamorous as Jack had made it out to be.

He settled down on the dirty floor, leaned against the slat wall and stretched his legs out in front of him. Hugged his bag to his chest and closed his eyes. It was a long way to Maine and he was so very, very tired.

He’d thought to make this a grand adventure. Thought things would turn out different only to be bitterly disappointed instead. What could he do? Return home with his tail between his legs and tell his father that he was right? At least in Maine there were friends. A home that would take him in and let him lick his wounds. There’d be questions, but no condemnations. That was something, at least.

“You okay?”

Quatre startled, feet slipping as he scrambled to get up, hand automatically reaching for the knife he had learned to carry.

“Easy,” the young man stepped out from behind the neatly stacked crates. He was taller, broader through the shoulders and his hair long enough to fall over one eye. His Army-issue jacket and combat boots suggested that he knew how to use his extra height and weight to his advantage.  If he meant to cause harm, Quatre was fairly certain that he was pretty well fucked, knife or no knife.

“I’ll find another car,” Quatre offered carefully, looking for an exit. They hadn’t picked up speed yet—he might not break anything if he had to jump.

“That’s not necessary,” the other man held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. He nodded towards Quatre’s knife. “You won’t need that.”

“You’ll excuse me if I’m cautious.”

The man looked him up and down. He smirked. “Yeah. I’ll bet you are. How many you have to fight off?”

“A few.”

“Me too. You hungry?”

Quatre resisted; he’d learned not to trust others. Even before he’d hopped his first train, he’d learned that. California had broken him. But he was hungry and his last meal had been the morning before at a little church.

“I’m Quatre,” he said, manners winning out over caution. Hunger winning out over pride.

“Trowa.” There was wear and tear on both Trowa and his gear that made Quatre feel guilty for his deferment. For his father’s money. For wasting them both.

“Trowa. It’s nice to meet you.”

The smirk grew, those appraising green eyes seeing right to the heart of him. Now that he was out of the shadows, it was plain that Trowa was barely more than a kid. Just like Quatre himself.  Yet dirty clothes and train-hopping aside, the blond hadn’t been able to hide what he was. Rich. Privileged.

He expected Trowa to comment on it, to sneer and change his mind about sharing the boxcar, his food. Instead there was only a nod of his head.

“Come on. Let’s eat. It’s a long way to Bangor.”

* * *

 

**Dang Me (2x?)**

She was right. He really was useless. One brilliant failure after another, his bad luck following like a black cat even after so many years.

He’d tried drinking it away. That had been a fucking mistake to end all mistakes. One fist-sized hole in the drywall later he’d found himself unceremoniously tossed out by the same buddies he’d been buying rounds for earlier in the night.

Ungrateful.

Just like the whole fucking world. Just like her. Just like him.

Fuck.

* * *

 

**Chug-a-lug (Maskim AU, pre 1xR)**

The first time they all got drunk, they were 15 and it was out back of Trowa’s grandparents’ barn. They were all in black, the girls in dresses and the boys in varying degrees of suits and ties, music playing loudly on a radio someone had brought. Heero and Trowa were sharing a cigarette while Relena and Quatre wrinkled their noses and Wufei scolded them all. Meilan and Hilde leaned against each other, laughing madly, already drunk off their asses on the moonshine. Dorothy watched it all with a dispassionate amusement that betrayed nothing of her own thoughts. She held her liquor better than the rest of them.

Duo had tried a sip of the stuff, felt it burn and curl its way down to his belly and promptly pushed away the jar. He liked the feel of it a little too much, the temptation to let the liquid ease the ache in his broken arm, his broken heart.

Lena sat down next to him on the hay bale, nudged him with her shoulder. Her eyes were overbright, but she wasn’t drunk. Not yet. Duo suspected that might be coming, her own grief still fresh.

“You don’t like it?”

“Like it too much,” he confessed. “Figure self-medication might be a bad idea.”

“Probably. I’m still going to take advantage of it though.”

“I’m sorry, Len. Your dad was a good guy.”

She smiled, watery and brave. “Thanks.”

The jar came their way again. Duo passed but Relena didn’t. She took another long drink, made a face and handed it to Heero. She shook her head, got to her feet and offered a hand to Duo.

“I want to dance. Dance with me.”

“Nah,” he shook his head. “You should dance with Heero, yeah?”

Heero looked at his best friend sharply. Duo just grinned as Heero was dragged away from the wall by the blonde girl.

Someone in their group should be happy.

* * *

 

**Engine, Engine #9 (3x4)**

He wasn’t at the station. They had promised each other, if it was meant to be, then they’d meet at the train station. Start over.

They’d tried to make it work. For years it had gone so well, but then life started to get in the way. Work. Circus. Family. Preventers. Quatre’s need for control, Trowa’s wanderlust.

One by one, items built until the carefully crafted home they’d built had no longer felt like home. Neither was there enough for it to feel that way.

As Trowa watched passengers depart, he saw no trace of the man he wanted most to see. He hadn’t shown up. Hadn’t thought that… whatever it was they still had… was worth fighting for. It hurt. More than he had expected it would, it hurt.

He turned, sliding hands into his pockets and staring at the concrete platform, at his boots as they carried him away from the train. He hoped Cathy wouldn’t start in with the “I told you so” bullshit too quickly. He—

“Trowa! Trowa, wait!”

He looked back, saw the bright blond head of hair pushing through the crowd. Saw the smile he’d grown to love. “Quatre.”

He smiled too, braced himself for the hug that made him stagger back two steps. Quatre had remained small, but he was strong. Trowa kissed him, heedless of the public around them. It had been nearly six months and he needed this, needed Quatre.

He held him tighter, buried his face against Quatre’s soft hair. “I thought you didn’t love me anymore.”

“Even if I hadn’t come,” Quatre whispered, rubbing his back, “I would always love you.”

* * *

 

**England Swings (1x2)**

“You know, you could enjoy yourself a little.”

“We’re not here to enjoy ourselves, Duo,” Heero sighed, watching his partner go from window to window, admiring the displays of old books and posters, clothing, and Union Jack-covered tchotchkes

“Are we really going to have this argument again?” Duo asked, peering into a bakery. “If Une is going to send us all over the Earth Sphere, then we might as well have fun.”

“We have a mission.”

“Christ. We really are having this argument again,” he rolled his eyes. “Heero. We’re in the middle of fucking London. One of the few major cities on Earth that managed not to get blown to hell during the wars—do you even know how unusual that is? How many times this place has been rebuilt?”

Heero fought back a sigh, caught Duo’s hand in his own and twined their fingers together. He didn’t often offer affection in public, even though Duo craved it. “After the mission’s complete, you can show me. I promise.”

Duo eyed him, suspicious. “And tell Une to fuck off if she tries to ship us off somewhere else?”

“I’ll let you tell her.”

* * *

 

**Do-Wacka-Do (6x2, unrequited 1x2)**

He wasn’t jealous. There was no way that he was jealous.

Heero Yuy didn’t do jealous.

He most certainly didn’t do jealous over Zechs Marquise. Not because the man was fucking gorgeous. Not because he was fucking brilliant.

Certainly not because he was fucking Duo.

* * *

 

**Husbands and Wives (6x9)**

It was something of a humiliation, coming home alone after everyone’s expectations. Failing at the terraforming project, that wasn’t so bad. Noin had succeeded in their mission without his help. But failing at the marriage…

It had been almost entirely his fault and that realization hurt.

He’d tried, he really had. But she had expected a different man. He had expected a different woman. He was no longer the noble prince, the knight in shining armor to sweep in and fix everything. She was no longer content to be in his shadow. She did the fixing these days.

She could fix everything except him.

* * *

 

**You Don’t Want My Love (2x?)**

There was a certain amount of freedom that came with breaking up, Duo decided. Oh, he was still bitter, still quite unable to be happy for his longtime lover, but it was almost a relief. No more pretending to be clueless. No more pretending that they were actually in love. No more ignoring the strange perfumes and colognes. No more lies on either side.

They’d parted as something resembling friends. Unbelievably. He supposed that’s what happened when you didn’t love each other anymore. When it didn’t hurt.

Not that he was much of an expert. He’d never fully given his heart away to anyone anyway. It kept him safer.

At least those were the lies he was telling himself now.

* * *

 

**Me and Bobby McGee (1x2)**

Duo climbed down from the semi-truck and gave the driver a wave. He hefted his backpack a little higher on his shoulder and walked towards the center of town.  He had just enough to buy breakfast and a ticket on the Greyhound back to Salinas.

It was stupid. Even if Heero was still there, there was no reason to believe that he wanted Duo there too. That last argument had been pretty final.

They’d traveled from one coast to another, hitchhiking, hopping trains, taking the bus when they’d scraped up enough money busking on city corners or working on farms. They’d barely known each other in Louisiana, back in April. Now it was September and if Duo was honest with himself, he’d fallen in love.

He didn’t like to be honest with himself. Least of all on the subject of love.

Heero had said something to that effect, when he’d accused Duo of being a coward. Of running away because he was afraid of what it might mean to find a home. Duo hadn’t corrected him because there was really nothing left to say after that. Heero was right and he wasn’t going to lie—wasn’t going to disrespect either of them—by saying otherwise.

It hadn’t taken more than twenty miles between them for Duo to realize he’d made a mistake. But he’d been stubborn. Proud. Now he was halfway to Texas and regretting everything, desperate to backtrack and apologize. Assuming Heero was even still in California. Assuming that he wanted anything to do with Duo.

Duo had thought that he didn’t have anything left to lose when he walked away from a house that was never a home. He hadn’t thought to find anything valuable in Heero, in a partnership of chance that turned to friendship and love with every mile they traveled together. Now he was afraid that he might have lost something after all.

* * *

 

**When Two Worlds Collide (3x4)**

There had been a lot of “it’s not you, it’s me” statements on both sides. Neither one could ever come right out and say such things, of course. There was a lot of hinting at it, a lot of sidestepping the truth and trying to let the other down gently. That was how it had been for the last two years. Subtlety and politeness.

Trowa didn’t want to hurt Quatre. Quatre didn’t want Trowa to feel guilty.

It might have been easier, in some ways, if they had just fought. Blown up at each other. Laid blame and insults and broken each other’s hearts. But they couldn’t do that. Wouldn’t do that.

They still loved each other. Always would. It was simply that… They weren’t fifteen anymore. They couldn’t be each other’s world, not when they had responsibilities that more and more often kept them apart. It was better this way, they agreed, to simply stop drifting apart and make a clean break. Before they broke each other.

* * *

 

**Kansas City Star (no pairing; set in 1978)**

This was not exactly where he had expected his theater education to take him. Not even in the vicinity of what he had dreamed of. Still, it more than paid the bills. Afforded him that ridiculous Cadillac outside.

“Hey, Duo,” his producer handed him an envelope. It was postmarked Omaha. “This came for you this morning.”

Duo tore the envelope open and scanned the neatly typed letter. A wide grin crossed his face. “They want me at the Orpheum. _California Suite._ Holy shit, they’re offering me more money. A car. I already have a car, but… wow.”

Quatre smiled warmly, even though Duo could see him mentally doing damage control. If he was doing the play, that meant he wasn’t doing his Kansas City show. “That’s wonderful.”

“Yeah, it is,” he sighed, reading it again to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. “But I can’t do it.”

“What?”

“C'mon, Cat, I can’t give all this up,” Duo gestured to the set behind him, with its styrofoam cactus and simplified facade of an Old Western Main Street. To his all black costume that was more reminiscent of the Lone Ranger than Buffalo Bob Smith*. To the kids filing into the small public television studio and taking their seats on the little wooden benches. “I’m a star.”

_( ***AN:** Host of The Howdy Doody Show, which ended in the early 60s, but y’know. Cheesy public television lives on forever.)_

* * *

 

**You Can’t Rollerskate in a Buffalo Herd (No pairing. Maskim AU; set in 2003, so VHS tapes still exist.)**

“Duo, what the fucking fuck are you listening to?” That was his Hilde. Ever eloquent.

“I dunno,” he lowered the volume on the turntable. He was sitting on the floor of his bedroom, surrounded by several small stacks of records. “I found some of Uncle Max’s old vinyl. There’s a lot of old country shit. This guy’s got a lot of weird novelty songs. They’re kinda fun though.”

She frowned, flipping through the sleeves, recognizing a few names. Most were too obscure for even her eclectic tastes. “He sounds… familiar?”

Duo handed her a 45 single. The sleeve was long gone, but the Disney logo emblazoned on the record’s label was still clear. “ _Robin Hood_. That’s why.”

“Huh. I haven’t watched that movie since we were kids.”

“You want to? I think Ma’s still got it on VHS somewhere.”

“I thought I came over to run lines for _Macbeth_ ,” she kicked back on his bed, looking at home as ever. She was wearing cut-off denim shorts and a band tee that she’d shrunk in the wash so that it hugged her limited curves. She’d gotten sent home from school for wearing that particular ensemble just last week. Duo was fairly certain that she was going to try it again with a more offensive shirt and fishnets.

“We can do both. You wanna stay for dinner?”

“Yeah, sure—I’m sorry, did he just say ‘you can’t go fishing in a watermelon patch?’ What the hell does that even mean?”

Duo shrugged. “I dunno. I think I found a new song to torture ‘Fei with though.”


End file.
